I'll continue to tell you until your tears dry
That I love you again and again

Sono namida kawaku made tsutaete tsudzukeru
Nando demo nando demo Aishiteiru ze

Takeru stared at his brother in shock, not completely comprehending what he had just said. They were celebrating his engagement?

"H-hey, bro...you know that Yukino and I have only had one date right? That doesn't mean we're getting married," he said, voice low so no others could hear him speak to the Moon god.

"I know. They were here when I arrived and told me the announcement. It seems it was arranged without our knowledge."

Takeru's fists clenched in anger at that statement, golden eyes flashing dangerously. "And who exactly is it that I'm to marry?"

"Susano'o-sama."

The sound of a gentle voice, barely louder than a whisper, drew his attention to the shadows behind his brother. A delicate figure stepped out, adorned in beautiful silk robes of red and pink. Her pale skin was accented by her red lips and dark eyelashes that hovered over light gold eyes, and her hair was pulled up into a fashionable bun held together with golden chopsticks.

She smiled kindly at the sea god, who was staring at her in shock. "I'm the one you're arranged to marry, mi'lord."

Takeru darted his eyes to his brother, whose face was twisted into an uncomfortable grimace. He shook his head, turning back to the goddess.

"Kushinada-hime, I don't understand. Why have I been betrothed to you so suddenly?"

She inclined her head slightly, motioning for them to take a walk outside to speak in private. Frowning slightly, Takeru did as she bid, winding his way around and sometimes over the drunken patrons in his house. The moon was rising in the sky, full as it always was in this world and shining down with its misty light. The goddess turned to him under the cherry tree and reguarded him seriously.

"I want you to know that I was the one who requested for the engagement, Susano'o-sama. If you wish to be mad at anyone, direct your anger towards me."

"Why?" he demanded, looking down at Kushinada with frustration glittering in his eyes.

"Because it is a highly advantageous arrangement," she said calmly, lifting a hand to brush back a lock of hair that had fallen out of place. "I am the daughter of a high god, and you are one of the more important ones in the lower caste. To be wed to me will mean that your status will-"

"I don't care about status or things like that," he interrupted her, not caring as she frowned at his rudeness. "What I care about was that this was done without my consent. I refuse this engagement."

"It is already done, however," she said, sighing as though his words wounded her. "We are to be wed by the end of summer."

"I will not allow it," Takeru protested, his eyes flashing in rage. "I will go to the Emperor himself if I must."

"He is the one to have approved it."

That made the sea god pause, his rage being replaced with shock. The Emperor himself, the one who ruled over the Japanese gods, had sanctioned his engagement?

"No way..." His thoughts immediately flew to Yukino in her world. What was she going to think? He had practically confessed he liked her when he had taken her close while singing on the stage, and he sure as hell wasn't going to take it back. His fists clenched, and he looked down at the fragile goddess before him with a deadly rage.

"I'm sorry, Kushinada-hime, but I still refuse. I will go and ask the Emperor to reconsider his decision in the morning."

"And if he refuses? What will you do?" she asked, pulling out a delicate lace fan and hiding her lips behind it.

"I'll make sure he doesn't refuse." Takeru turned around and stormed back to his house, seething in anger and worry. He had to find a way to break this engagement off and fast. He refused to even consider marrying anyone at this point in time, not when he was interested in a certain contrary human girl.

On the surface what he felt was rage, but deep down, he was panicking. The Emperor had approved of this, and it was highly unlikely that he would change his mind over something like this. Ever since the accident with the goddess who raised him he had been an outcast, with others looking for ways to pin him down, to control his power. And this marriage had presented the perfect opportunity.

As he stepped back over the gods passed out on the floor and made his way to his room, Takeru felt an emotion he detested greatly, and had only felt a few times before in the past. He felt like he was helpless to change what was happening, and it didn't sit well with him at all. He flopped onto his futon and stared at the ceiling, a million questions running through his head.

What should he do? Even if the Emperor called it off, he had a feeling that Kushinada wouldn't be so easily swayed. He had to admit, she was a very attractive goddess, well bred and elegant. But there just was something that put him off, and wasn't his attraction to Yukino. It'd always been there, and why he'd avoided the high-born lady when he saw her. It wasn't that he thought she was better than them; no, he realized with a frown. It was because she saw herself above him.

So why? Why would she chose him of all gods to capture in an arranged marriage? Many of his fellow deities had tried to woo the elusive goddess, but had been turned away by either her father or herself personally. It made him angry, and yet he wanted to know what her motives were.

The biggest question in his mind was what he was going to tell Yukino. His biggest fear was that of rejection, after all the time they had spent getting to know each other and how close they had become. She trusted him so completely, he could see it in the way she looked at him. To betray that trust by rejecting her affections...Takeru had a feeling that nothing would be able to get close to her again.

She wouldn't be a jellyfish anymore, with her stingers ready for danger and her head ready to be bopped, she would turn into an urchin. Nothing would be able to come near her without her spines harming them, and nothing would be able to get close without hurting her in return. He refused to bring her that pain. Takeru would protect her, even if he had to lay down his life to do so.

The sea god just hoped that he would be able to clear up this engagement mess before she found out, because he knew that if he failed, neither would be able to survive the aftermath.

The next morning I was up early and dashing around the house, preparing for an all day trip to the beach. Mom had made food the night before for me to take, as she'd been called back to work suddenly, having to head back up north. I wasn't happy to hear that she had to go so soon, but I was glad to at least have her home for a while, even meet Takeru.

I was giddy thinking of all the fun we'd have today. I pushed the towels for us to use into the bag along with sunscreen and a few dry snacks, using a cooler for the chilled food. Once everything was prepared, I decided to go ahead and get dressed for swimming.

Only...when I looked for the swimsuits I owned, none of them were to be found. Panicking, I rushed around the house trying to find them. On a whim I opened my mother's door, seeing something laid out on her futon. Curious, I moved forward and blushed at the sight of the rather skimpy bikini that lay on the blanket. A little note was on top, and I quickly read it.

Hi sweety! I know you're wanting to wear one of your other suits, but I thought they were too small for you so I hid them. Wear this instead, and go get that boy of yours! Love, Mom.

"Are you serious?!" I screeched, crumpling up the message and raging at my meddling mother. She had to be laughing as she traveled up north, knowing what she'd done.

Sighing I grabbed the bikini and marched to my room to put it on, having no other option, because I sure as hell was not going to go skinny dipping in the ocean in the middle of the day. I pulled a nice green summer dress over the bikini, already knowing that it was going to be an awkward time. Grabbing the cooler and bag of towels I walked out of my apartment, eager to be at the beach.

I rushed the walk there, so I got there more quickly than normal. I slid inside the cave and walked to the back, not even having to turn sideways to fit through the narrow passages anymore. I stood before the Light Pool after placing things to the side, caressing the pretty white pearl that lay against my throat.

"Takeru...Takeru...Takeru~" I called, waiting for the warm feeling to come from the pearl as it always did when he heard me.

Then it remained cold, I frowned slightly. Maybe if I said it louder... "Takeru, Takeru, Takeru!"

...It was still cold.

Maybe he's just busy. He did skip a few days of his duties, I reasoned. I decided to go ahead and set things up outside the cave, and grabbed the bags as I walked back to the entrance, hoping he would come.

Takeru grimaced when he heard her call him, causing the elder man before him to narrow his eyes suspiciously at the twinge of magic that came from the call. He swallowed nervously, keeping his head bowed in respect to the Emperor as he silently asked Yukino to be patient.

She called only once more before stopping. Thanking her, Takeru risked a glance up from where he was bowing to the wrinkled god before him sitting on the throne.

"You do not wish to be married to Kushinada-hime, even though this would improve your status among the gods? You know you are not that popular, and this would be a chance to find acceptance in the higher caste."

"Mi'lord, such things have never interested me. I am happy with my position now, and have no thirst for a higher seat. What mainly concerns me is the fact that I was not allowed an opinion in the settling of this arrangement."

"There was a reason for that." The Emperor stroked his long grey beard, watching the young god before him as he fidgeted. "You were not contacted not only because you had been shirking your duties as a god, but also you had disappeared, not telling anyone you had gone to the human world. Your brother had to be sent to retrieve you in the end. Else I doubt you would have returned for a much longer time."

Takeru gritted his teeth, knowing that the old god was right about that. He'd been so happy with Yukino that he'd all but forgotten that he was a god. He glanced up again with his gold eyes, seeing the Emperor watching him carefully. "I apologize for that deeply, mi'lord, but I must admit I cannot regret it."

"...You were with a human girl."

Takeru's head jerked up in surprise, forgetting his manners in his shock. "H-how did you-"

"Tsukuyomi told me upon his return, as was his duty. You were courting this human, were you not?"

He hesitated, not exactly sure how to answer that question. "I am considering dating her, yes."

"Then answer me this: what is so special about this one little human? She will grow old and die, and you will live for far longer than she ever will. Do you really wish to risk such sorrow?"

"...Yes." The Sea god's answer was firm, no doubt within his tone. "Yukino is special to me because of who she is, human or not. She is loyal, fierce to protect herself and those she cares for. She knows how to stand up for herself, and can make me calm just by thinking of her smile." A smile of his own appeared on his face, his eyes softening.

"Hm..." The Emperor leaned back in his throne, regarding the young god seriously. The silence stretched for what seemed an eternity, and Takeru found himself praying hard, hoping that maybe, just maybe...

"I'm afraid that even though you like this human girl, the engagement will still stand. You will marry Kushinada-hime by summer's end. If you continue to refuse, you will be punished. Do I make myself clear, Susano'o?"

His heart dropped into his stomach, and Takeru had to swallow the bitterness that welled inside. He lowered his head in respect, though he felt like he would die. "Yes, mi'lord." He rose to his feet and turned to leave.

"Oh, and another thing."

The elder god stopped him before he reached the door. Takeru looked back, eyes hard as stone.

"You will have to leave that human girl behind. I will not here of you running off again to see her. You have two weeks to make sure she gets the message. Any contact after that, and there will be repercussion for both of you."

Fury flashed through him as he heard the direct threat at Yukino, but there was nothing he could do. Gritting his teeth, the storm god marched out of there and out of the palace, despair and rage mingling together to form an acidic mixture in his mouth.

Why? he wondered, slamming the shojo to his house open and punching a wall with his fist so hard that the wood cracked. Why did this have to happen? After he was finally happy, why? The helpless feeling from the previous night invaded his body once more, causing a cold shudder to run up his spine. Takeru pressed his forehead against the cracked beams, his breathing increasing as he did the best to control himself.

Once again he heard her voice in his mind, calling him with a note of worry in her tone. She was still waiting on him, unaware of what had happened since she'd last seen him. Today they were going to play on the beach, he remembered, staring at the walls of his house in anguish. How was he supposed to go and be with her when he knew that soon he'd have to break her heart?

Taking a shuddering breath to steady himself, Takeru pushed himself off the beam and sent the reply to her summons, feeling her relief as the pearl responded. For now, he would pretend. He would pretend that he was going to be with her forever. Pretend that he wasn't engaged to another.

He would pretend that he wasn't going to wound her to her very soul in the coming weeks.

I felt my knees go weak when the pearl warmed beneath my finger, sighing in relief. I sat on the towels I'd laid out near the cave, already slathered head to toe in sunscreen to prevent myself from burning like a leaf in fire. I turned to watch the cave entrance, grinning as I saw a familiar form move from the shadows and into the sunlight.

"There you are!" I called out to him, scrambling to my feet and running over as Takeru shielded his eyes from the bright light. I tackled him in a hug, making him 'oof' and stumble back a step.

"H-hey," he protested, looking down at me and I wrapped my arms around him tightly. I tilted my head up and gave him a cheeky grin.

"You're late, sea monkey," I scolded, wriggling my fingers against his sides. "Now take your punishment!"

He let out a laugh and pushed me away, a large scowl appearing on his face, though I could see the laughter in his eyes. And...perhaps a bit of relief? I didn't ponder it too much, turning and nodding at the set up I'd made.

"I brought everything we'll need. Though," I added, eyeing his armor skeptically. "I didn't bring a guy's swimsuit."

He blinked, then let out a short laugh before turning human. He stood before me in a pair of black trunks with yellow lines on the sides of the legs, his chest mouthwateringly bare for me to see. I allowed myself to stare at the sight for a few seconds to commit it to memory before turning away.

"Here, put on some sunscreen so you don't burn." I handed him the bottle before looking down at my sun dress, wondering if I should go ahead and take it off. I blushed just thinking of the suit I had on, but unless I wanted to get my dress wet, I'd have to take it off.

Takeru turned around so he could apply the sunblock, giving me a chance to steel my nerves before slipping the dress off and fold it neatly. I set it on the towels and turned to look at him as he tried to cover his back.

"Here, I'll help with that," I offered, walking closer to him as he turned a little to see me. I wasn't expecting his reaction, however. His head turned in a snap to fully face me, his amber eyes widening so much I thought they'd fall out as they roamed over my exposed body.

I flushed horribly, looking down at the very skimpy, very tight string bikini I wore, it's blue and white patterns standing out against my pale skin. I looked up at him through my eyelashes, burning up in embarrassment as I offered a tiny smile. "mom got this for me and hid my other suits..."

"Remind me to thank her," I thought I heard him mutter, his gaze still locked onto me. The admiration in his eyes gave me a bit of confidence, and I hugged my chest some, making what cleavage I had stand out all the more.

"Want me to help you with your back now? I still need to get mine as well."

Wordlessly he nodded, holding out the bottle for me to take. Giggling nervously, I circled around his back and moved his ponytail out of the way before pouring the sunblock into my hands and placing them on his back, rubbing it in very carefully. I would hate for him to get burned by the sun, though as God of the Sea he probably got more sun exposure than I ever knew of.

I patted his back when I was done, handing the bottle back. "Can you get mine now?" I turned and moved my shoulder-length hair out of the way, gazing down at the sand and praying that my face would cool, though that was highly unlikely.

I swore I heard him mutter a curse under his breath as he opened the bottle and got a fair amount of the lotion. A few seconds later the cool liquid came in contact with my back, causing me to emit a high-pitched squeak and jump. "C-cold!"

"Sorry, sorry!" he apologized, but I heard him chuckle softly as he continued to smooth the protective stuff over my skin, his fingers grazing my lightly every few seconds. I barely managed to keep myself from shivering, but there was nothing I could do about the goosebumps that appeared on my arms as he kept teasing me.

All too soon he was done, patting the top of my head and handing me the bottle. I closed the lid and put it down, missing the warmth of his skin on mine. Perhaps we'll have to put more on later, we will be here all day,I mused, standing and smiling at him.

"You ready? Or do you need a few minutes to get your courage?" I teased, laughing at his vicious scowl.

"The God of the Sea gather his courage? You're so funny I forgot to laugh."

"Whatever you say, sea monkey. Race you!" I shouted, suddenly darting in the direction of the surf. I heard him protest the unfairness of a head start as he chased me, and I threw my head back and laughed in delight.

The surf splashed everywhere as I hit the water, my steps slowing as I ploughed through the waves into deeper water. When I hit my waist I took a deep breath and dove forward, immersing myself in the warm liquid. I heard Takeru not far behind me and I kicked my legs to swim forward, trying to escape.

It was unfortunate for me that it didn't work, and I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist and hoist me to the surface. I blew the water out of my face and squealed happily, wriggling as he tried to keep a grip on me.

"That wasn't a fair race, jellyfish!" he growled into my ear, digging his nails into my skin before moving his fingers against my exposed sides. I screamed bloody murder at the sensation and thrashed in his arms, laughing as I tried to get away from his sudden assault. He was stronger than his short stature let on, though, and kept me there as he dealt his revenge.

"O-okay, I give! No more!" I gasped, some salt water splashing into my mouth and causing me to spit. Takeru finally relented, lowering me back so I was standing with him in chest-deep water. His arms stayed wrapped around me rather loosely, so I could get away if I wanted to. Which I had no intention of.

I turned my head and pouted back at him, noticing the slight blush that formed on his face as he glanced away. Giggling, I leaned back against him, enjoying the feel of the water moving against our bodies. The blunette seemed content to stay there as well, as he rested his chin on my shoulder and closed his eyes.

We stayed like that for a minute before moving apart and actually starting to swim, both of us taking turns feeling the sand with our feet to see if we could find anything of interest. A few times we actually hit something, pulling up a strange shell or rock. Other times whatever we touched would move to escape and we quickly moved our feet to another area, not wishing to be bitten or, gods forbid, pinched.

I floated on my back as the sun reached its peek, closing my eyes and letting the water rock me as it moved towards the shore, breaking into gently rolling waves in the shallow areas before the sand appeared from the waters. Takeru followed my example and lay on his back, one of his hands reaching over to find mine and lightly twine our fingers so we wouldn't drift apart.

I let my eyes flutter closed as the sun warmed my body and the water around me, listening to the sound of the currents as my ears dipped below the surface. A contented sigh passed my lips, feeling like nothing could ruin this moment...

And then through the water, I heard Takeru's stomach give an angry growl for food.

I busted out laughing, but unbalanced myself and sank under the water. I came back up spitting and sputtering, rubbing my nose to rid it of the stinging salt water that had flooded the chamber. the sea god stopped floating to stand beside me and rub my back as I coughed, half smirking at my misfortune.

"What brought that on?" he asked, blinking those amber eyes down at me.

"I heard your stomach talking," I said, sneezing and wincing at the slight pain. "Did you eat breakfast today?"

A dark shadow passed over his face for a split second, but it was gone so fast I doubted myself, thinking I'd just snorted a bit too much sea water. "No, I didn't eat this morning. I was...busy."

"Well, let's go and eat some lunch. Mom made it last night before she left for work."

"She's gone already?" he asked as we moved to shore, wringing out our dripping hair to not get the towels wet.

"Yeah, she got called back and left this morning. Not before she stole my swimsuits and left me this one though." I scowled as I flopped on the towels, reaching for the cooler.

"...I like it, you know."

I paused, looking over at him while I was leaning back to get to the food. "Like what?"

"Y-you're bathing suit...it's nice," he muttered, looking away with that cute embarrassed look on his face. I mentally squealed at him as I handed him a sandwich I'd grabbed out of the cooler.

"Thanks. Yours is too, actually." I got my own sandwich and unwrapped it, biting into the cool treat with a happy murmur. Takeru chuckled as he ate his as well, his sandwich disappearing with surprising swiftness. I handed him another one, laughing as he ate that one just as fast as the first.

"Slow down, you're going to choke on it," I cautioned, handing him the third and final sandwich. I peeled the crust off of my own carefully, placing it down for later and finished off my first as he was halfway through his last.

He lay on his back with a satisfied sigh when he was done, arms behind his head and his body stretched out for me to oogle from where I was sitting. Human or god form, it didn't matter to me, this man was the sexiest, most handsome one out there that anyone could find, and I planned on enjoying every second I got with him in his swim trunks.

I peeled the crust off my second sandwich as a few gulls started to circle overhead, calling down to us as they saw the food we had. I smiled up at them and ate my food quickly then, saving my third sandwich for later. I grabbed the crusts and stood up, drawing Takeru's attention as he watched me from where he was.

I walked about a foot away from the towels and showed off the bread to the birds hovering overhead, and their calls grew louder and they floated in front of me, watching as I moved my arm up and down, preparing to toss it up.

I jerked my arm up and released the first piece, the air in front of me suddenly full of feathers and squabbling sounds for a few seconds till they all broke apart and resumed their effortless hovering, eagerly waiting for me to throw the rest. Laughing at their silly antics, I threw up some more and watched the ones lucky enough to get the food practically choke on it to get it in their bellies.

One younger bird swooped very close to my face, giving a few loud squawks in a demanding tone. Smiling, I put a long piece of crust in my mouth and offered it to him. He hesitated for a few seconds, then adjusted his wings so that he darted in, grabbed it from my mouth, and flew away quickly, downing the piece as fast as he could. I looked over at Takeru and grinned cheekily, seeing his warm smile as he sat up to watch me give the rest away.

Once the last of crust was gone I showed my hands to the birds, waving them to tell that I had no more. They got the message after a few seconds and dispersed, their loud calls echoing on the warm wind from the sea. I watched them with a slightly jealous expression, marveling how lucky they were to have been born with the gift of flight.

I turned to look back at Takeru, but he wasn't looking at me anymore. He watched as the birds flew away, his eyes distant and a heartbreaking expression of sadness on his handsome face. I frowned and walked over to him, kneeling down and tilting my head slightly.

"Takeru-kun, are you alright?"

The god jumped slightly, looking surprised to see me so close to him. "O-oh, yeah. I was just thinking about something," he said, turning his head away so he wouldn't meet my eyes.

My lips turned down a little farther, and I reached my hand over to his chin, taking it gently between my thumb and forefinger. He let his head be moved, those sad amber eyes meeting my ocean blues.

"What's wrong, sea monkey?" I asked softly, imploring him to let me know. If something was off, perhaps I could fix it for him.

"...It's nothing." He sighed and closed his eyes, reaching up and covering my hand with his own. His skin was warm and I blushed lightly at the contact, feeling my heart tremble at the sight of him so down all of a sudden. "I got scolded for being away so long, that's all."

I blinked, eyes widening ever so slightly. "They scold gods?"

A slight smirk appeared, but it never reached his eyes. "Yeah, they do when they skip their duties for a few days. The Emperor wasn't pleased that I'd played hooky in the human world."

"The Emperor?" I echoed, tilting my head.

The blunette nodded, using the grip on my hand to tug me down into a hug. I stiffened as he pulled me on top of him and wrapped his arms around me, holding me as close as he could. Shocked at this sudden position I wriggled slightly, moving so my legs were to the side while my rear end sat snugly in his lap, the upper part of me in his embrace.

"T-takeru?" I whispered, at once elated to be held by him but wary of his sudden mood change. This was so unlike him...it must have been one hell of a scolding.

"The Emperor is the one who reigns over the Japanese deities, including me and Tsukito," he explained, his mouth right beside my ear so he didn't have to talk loudly. I gulped nervously, slowly moving my arms up to hug him back, feeling he needed the comfort I could give him. "He's a real jerk, thinking he can do what he wants with the rest of us. He can even make gods and goddesses marry if he so wishes them to."

"Against their will?" I asked, horrified at the thought of an arranged marriage.

"Yes, and he can also deny them the same." Takeru's grip tightened on me slightly, and I felt a shiver run up my spine. "He told me that I was in deep trouble for staying here the last few days, saying that I wasn't to do it again."

"...You have to listen to him, don't you?" I realized, pulling back slightly to look my god in his amber eyes, my own filled with the sadness I was feeling at his lack of freedom.

"Unfortunately. Those who don't are either executed or banished." He loosened his arms, allowing me to move a few inches back. My heart skipped a beat at the expression he wore, dark and mutinous and full of helpless rage.

I tilted his chin upwards and leaned forward, placing a kiss in the middle of his forehead to his surprise. I pulled back and smiled reassuringly. "It'll be fine, Takeru-kun, I promise."

"...Yeah, it will be." His lips tilted upwards, and I returned it.

"There's that smile I was missing. Now, why don't we go back and have some fun in the surf?" I suggested, wanting to distract him from his anger.

Takeru nodded and we both stood up, walking down to the waves instead of running. I shivered as the water cooled my body off rapidly, and I dove in when I was up to my waist so my body would adjust to the temperature faster. I let myself sink down to the sand below and dug my hands into it so I would stay in place, testing to see how long I could hold my breath as I closed my eyes and started to count.

I had reached around forty when the waves above me hit harder than normal, and I was shocked out of my trance. I surface quickly, wiping the salt out of my eyes and looking around for my partner.

I saw his signature blue hair off in the distance, much farther out than I knew was safe with only the two of us here. I panicked slightly and started to swim for him, choosing to do a breaststroke to cut through the water quickly.

"Takeru-kun!" I called out to him, noticing he was heading for where the second line of breaking waves was, seeming to not really care. "Takeru, wait!"

He didn't seem to hear me, and I gritted my teeth. Against my better judgement I kept swimming out towards him, the sea level long since over my meager height. As much as I loved the sea, being out so far with no safety precautions was making me jumpy, and I constantly glanced around to make sure nothing was around me.

Takeru ducked under a wave as it started to form, disappearing beneath the surf. I dove under as well when it reached me, feeling the force of it push me back a few feet. I gritted my teeth and surfaced again, wiping my eyes and looking for him.

I saw no sign of him in any direction, and my unease spiked into panic as I tread water, my head jerking left and right, desperate to get even a glimpse of him. "T-takeru!" I shouted, turning to face the shore in hopes he might have headed back.

I saw nothing, but when I turned around I saw the waves that had peeked and was now crashing down towards me. I had no chance to brace myself as the thundering water hit me with its full force, knocking the air out of my lungs.

On instinct I inhaled to regain my breath, only to choke as water flooded my lungs instead. I flailed wildly to reach the surface, my airways feeling like they were on fire. My legs refused to work together, instead spasming in odd directions that made me sink rather than raise me to the surface.

Another wave crashed down on my then, pushing me farther into the water and away from the shining surface. I desperately tried to move up, feeling my arms give out and my legs following not a second later. I tried to scream, but nothing came out except the last bit of air I'd had within me, and I sank like a stone.

I'm drowning, I realized distantly, staring up towards the sunlight dancing on the waves as they rolled over where I was, the currents pushing my limp body back and forth. I was terrified, my mind racing to try and find a solution to get out of this situation, but my body was shutting down, darkness already edging my vision. I fought to stay conscious, hoping, praying for a miracle.

I heard a loud splashing sound off somewhere, like a body hitting the water. I turned my head slightly in the direction it came from, blinking slowly as a familiar figure swam towards me quickly. Takeru's amber eyes were wide in panic, and I forced myself to smile a little as I felt him grab my hand.

Everything will be alright now...

My world went black.

"Dammit!" Takeru shouted as he breached the surface, pulling Yukino's limp body towards the shore as quickly as he could. She had lost consciousness just as he'd reached her, which didn't help him in getting her to safety.

"Shit, not this!" he pleaded, his chest tightening in terror. As soon as his feet hit sand he ploughed his way out of the shallows, dropping her onto the earth while the waves lapped at her legs. He knelt over her and listened for a breath, a heartbeat, anything. He felt a faint pulse, but she wasn't breathing.

He pushed down on her chest, remembering back to his school days when they were taught life saving techniques. He hadn't thought of them as important then, but at this very moment he was grateful that Thoth had shoved the knowledge into them. He timed the pushes like he had been taught, but nothing came out of her lips, which were now turning blue.

Takeru paused and looked at her face, trying to recall the rest of the lesson. The image of how to push air into the other came from his memory, as well as the word 'cpr.' Grimacing, the god tilted Yukino's head back slightly and placed his mouth over hers, taking a deep breath and blowing air into her lungs before pulling back and pressing on her chest again.

A slight wheezing sound passing her lips encouraged him, and he pressed his mouth back against hers, giving her as much air as he could before pressing once, twice, three times more. He prayed like he'd never prayed before, hoping that someone, anyone, would listen, would help him...

Suddenly the girl's body convulsed, her head jerking to the side as water spewed from her mouth, her coughing forcing it out of her lungs as she took deep gulps of the salty air. Takeru cried out in relief and pulled her close, rubbing her back while she inhaled and coughed up more water, making it dribble down her face, but he didn't care.

"Ugh...T-takeru?" she said, her voice raspy from the force of her coughs. Shuddering in relief, the god pulled her body up against his, holding back the stinging tears behind his eyes.

"You're okay..." he said, voice trembling. Her pretty blue eyes blinked slowly up at him before she turned her head and snuggled closer to him, still breathing heavily. "What in the world were you doing that far out?!" he demanded, tucking her head under his chin in a protective gesture.

"I s-saw you go out there...I wanted to...make sure you were okay." She shivered in his arms despite the warm summer sun shining down on them.

Cursing his own stupidity for not noticing her as she had come after him, he gathered her and took her to where the towels were still spread out, grabbing one and wrapping it around her tightly before sitting down on the other one with her in his lap, refusing to let her go far. She didn't protest, gladly curling up to get some of his body heat.

"Don't you ever do something that stupid again," he scolded her, but his voice broke halfway through the words, another shudder running down his back. I almost lost her...

"I won't, Takeru. I promise." Yukino smiled up at him softly, her eyes fluttering closed as she relaxed against him, exhausted from the struggle. He watched as she slipped into sleep, his heart clenching in pain.

He had saved her, but he still had to condemn her to a worse fate in the near future. That fact overshadowed his relief in her surviving, and his arms tightened around her even more.

"I'm so sorry, pearl," he choked out, allowing a single tear to escape and fall onto her face.

So focused on the girl in his arms, Takeru failed to notice the figure watching from the shadows of the cave, their hand raising to their lips in thought as they watched the young god cry in relief that the human would live. They turned around and headed back into the cave, a thoughtful expression upon their features. They raised their arms, and the waters of the Light Pool engulfed them, letting them leave the human world without a trace.

I was seriously nearly crying myself while writing this chapter. So much sadness and heartache in one place.

A thanks to my wonderful reviewers and followers as well as my silent supporters. Any thought on this new twist is appreciated. Ja ne!